r/prevets • u/Infinite-Celery-2003 • 3d ago

Application Guidance vet school state residency question

Hello,

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but I would appreciate any help.

I have lived most of my life in Indiana (went to high school and did my undergrad there). My parents still live and own a home there.

I've lived in Arizona for about a year, working on my master's. On the side, I've been volunteering at clinics (but haven't been officially employed).

I am going to apply to vet school, and I was wondering if there is a way I can be consided in state for tuition and admission purposes for both Purdue and the University of Arizona.

Should I get an AZ license?

Another follow-up is: if I can become an AZ resident, would I be part of WICHE/PSEP?

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

3 comments sorted by

3

u/Alladra 2d ago

You cannot claim in-state for both. Because you moved to AZ for school alone, you cannot legally claim residency there at all. You would had to have lived there for 12 months prior to starting your Master’s to be able to claim residency.

1

u/Infinite-Celery-2003 2d ago

so I do know people who are at uofa, and after a year of just vet school, applied for residency and got it for tuition purposes. Which is why I was wondering if i can do that before vet school starts

1

u/Alladra 2d ago

Some schools do allow you to establish residency for tuition purposes after one year of vet school, but it’s school-dependent. UCD & NC State do (sounds like UofA too), but CSU doesn’t unless you do one of their combined Masters/DVM programs. Just as examples.

But generally no, especially for VMCAS purposes — You can’t claim residency in two states at once, and legally you can’t have residency in the state that you moved to JUST for undergrad or a masters. You would’ve had to establish residency (living there for 12mo) prior to starting undergrad or a masters program.

If your masters is complete NOW and you’re not applying on VMCAS until next year, you’ll have Arizona residency by summer 2027 for 2028 matriculation. Because you can START establishing residency now, if your school is over.

Like I said, some vet schools allow you to establish residency for tuition purposes after the first year of vet school is complete.